


A Man Apart

by g33kyclassic



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Charles Xavier is a Sweetheart, Charles is in trouble, Erik as Walter, Erik is an Android, M/M, Protective Erik
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:13:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22263157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/g33kyclassic/pseuds/g33kyclassic
Summary: Charles is traveling through space in service to Emperor Shaw when their ship unexpected crashes.  As the lone survivor he is rescued and brought to a small village. Charles is incredibly thankful to his rescuer, but soon discovers he is more than meets the eye.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 33
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

Emperor Shaw was furious. He was practically vibrating with rage, Even with his suppression collar digging uncomfortably into his neck, Charles found the waves of anger washing over him difficult to ignore.

He steadied himself against the onslaught. He could not let Shaw see him reacting to any telepathic input, not when he had worked so hard, for so long to convince Shaw and all his minions that the suppression collar worked as well on him as everyone else. Emperor Shaw loved to collect mutants after all, but he loved to control them, lording his own power over everyone. Charles’ power was a risk and Shaw kept him heavily suppressed and underfoot as a result. As one of lowly cabin boys who worked night and day to serve Shaw’s every whim, Charles was both physically close to Shaw, and yet completely invisible and imminently replaceable. His position was tenuous at best.

This was certainly not the first time Charles had witnessed and felt Shaw’s anger. He was rather notorious for his fits of temper. However, today’s outburst was unique; unique in that underneath all that rage, all the frustration, was fear, even terror.

Emperor Shaw was right to be terrified. Kneeling beside him, in the required subservient position, Charles could feel the emotions of everyone of the bridge of the ship. The engineer, the pilot and the captain were all terrified as well, though they were working with the type of professional calm one can only call admirable. Despite the efforts of the crew, the ship was failing – major systems were offline, life support kept going off and on, and navigation was down. They were essentially flying blind.

For the past five minutes, the captain had been urging Emperor Shaw to evacuate the ship. Shaw continued to refuse to leave his flagship; he simply could not accept the fact that it was damaged beyond repair. The captain was now pleading for Shaw to let the crew and other passengers evacuate. Charles was not at all surprised to hear Shaw was refusing that request as well.

Just as Emperor Shaw stepped forward, marching toward the Captain with menace in his eyes, and Charles feared Shaw was about to crush the Captain like a bug using his powers, the artificial gravity system failed. Without the aid of that system, everyone, Shaw included, was propelled into the air, bodies slammed into walls and even greater chaos erupted. Just as Charles was able to grasp the edge of the door to the bridge and secure himself somewhat, he heard one of the bridge crew announce that the manual controls of the ship were inoperable. They were now in free fall.

* * *

Walter-15, commonly called Erik, watched the night sky as he did every evening. There was little else to do in this isolated outpost, and there was something comforting about looking at the stars and knowing, somewhere out there, there were other planets, other beings.

This little outpost on a small forgotten planet was filled with Walter models – the dozen of them that remained. Forever exiled from the main colony for their defects.

Erik would have described it as a lonely existence, if he was capable of feeling complex emotion. But he wasn’t. So, Erik called his life monotonous. Every day filled with the same twelve faces, the same tasks, essential but mundane. Each morning greeting his neighbours, staring at his own face, knowing what conversations would be had.

Like every other Walter model at the outpost, Erik kept himself occupied. He contributed to the community, he kept his home and those of others in good repair. He experimented with extracting metals from the planet and creating alloys to find better, more reliable building materials and materials for repairs. He was a valued member of the community.

He was also a loner. There was no one beside him gazing at the stars, he shared his home with no other Walter model. And so, when Erik saw the reddish streak flash across the night sky, he was alone. And when that streak got close enough for him to see it was a vessel, out of control and about to crash, he was a lone figure standing in the dark. When he started walking, determined to find the crash site, there was no one to tell. He walked out into the night alone.

* * *

It took almost two hours to get to the crash site. Erik was able to calculate the vessel’s trajectory relatively accurately, but the terrain was rough and difficult to navigate in the dark, even with Erik’s advantages.

When he finally crested a hill and saw the smoldering remains of the wreckage, his immediate reaction was that the odds of finding any survivors were very slim. Erik stood for only a moment at the edges of the crash site, before he moved forward, determined the safest point of entry, and went looking for any signs of life.

More than half of the vessel was impassible – completely collapsed under the pressure of an uncontrolled atmospheric entry. Erik found bodies, some crushed, some burned, a few lying peacefully as if sleeping, throughout the ship. It seemed that he was not going to find any survivors. 

His original purpose abandoned, Erik decided his best course of action was to find the bridge and see if he could determine the cause of the crash and the origins of the ship. The door to the bridge was jammed and it took all of Erik’s considerable skill to not only re-wire the electrical to open the door, but also all of his strength to wedge the door ajar.

Inside the bridge, the floor was littered with corpses. It was a grim scene.

Erik moved methodically passed the fallen, making his way to the main computer terminal. Connecting with the AI system took only moments.

“Requesting report for cause of crash.” Erik stated.

“Data for last 24 hours is corrupted. I am unable to give a definitive cause.”

“Please state all available data.”

“Life support systems are currently offline. No evacuation order was given. All crew and passengers who did not make it to an escape pod are dead.”

Erik nodded slowly in agreement, before pausing at the AI’s wording.

“Have any of the escape pods been activated?” Erik asked.

“One escape pod has been activated, but was not ejected from the ship.”

“Display route to escape pod.”

Erik glanced at the map and set off at speed. The escape pod was not far off, down the main hall and outside the grandest of the personal quarters. Erik had walked this way on his way in, but the pod was buried under debris and he hadn’t seen it. Several minutes of work was required to dig the escape pod out and when it was done, when Erik finally had the pod lying safely on the ground, he brushed off the glass and looked through the hatch to see what was inside.

It was a man. A young, pale skinned man with dark hair.

And looking at the readout on the pod, the man was alive – though he vital signs were not strong.

Erik did not even stop to think; he simply opened the pod, lifted the man up in his arms and started walking home.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing he noticed about the man in his arms was his warmth. He radiated a heat that sank through the fabric of Erik’s clothes and seeped into his arms. Erik’s body heat was precisely regulated, but the young man’s temperature started warm, then spiked, and now after an hour in the chill of the night air, it had plummeted. The body in his arms shook and trembled, and Erik picked up his pace. Clearly the man needed medical assistance as quickly as possible.

When the outpost came into view, little more than a few distinctive lumps on the horizon, Erik pushed himself to move as quickly as he possibly could. He was now on familiar terrain, the whole of the valley around the outpost mapped in his mind, down to the last bump and crevice. Though his pace had increased, his movements remained steady and even, the man in his arms secure and still.

Before he even reached the outer most building, Erik was met by Walter-1, the original model and the outpost’s unofficial leader.

“What have you found, Erik?” 

“A man. He needs medical attention.”

“I will alert Alan. We will meet you at your home.” 

Walter left immediately and Erik continued to his home, a small but well kept structure made of clay and wood. In the dim light from the solar powered lanterns, Erik laid the man down on the floor. He cleared off his work table and disinfected the surface before lifting the man up and onto the clean surface, hoping it would be the ideal place for Alan to work.

When Alan arrived, Erik stepped back, letting the other do his work. Walter-1 asked about how he had found the man and Erik explained he had seen a vessel fall from the sky and gone to investigate. But his attention was always partly diverted, always half fixed on the man on the table, wondering who he was and whether he would wake up.

The man was clearly unwell and Erik watched covertly as Alan stripped him out of his clothes to examine his body for injuries. Alan cut away the strange collar from around the man’s neck and applied a salve to the chaffing there. The man’s torso was mottled with bruises and scratches, but Erik could not see any serious injuries. 

“Where was the man found?” Alan asked, his fingers gliding over the man’s body, inspecting every inch.

“In an escape pod.” Erik answered.

“He was unconscious when you found him?”

“Yes. The reading on the pod indicated he was alive, but in distress.”

“You were right to bring him here.” Alan stepped back from the man and turned to Erik and Walter-1. “We will need blankets to keep him warm. He was sustained a head injury and may have bleeding in his brain. We do not have the equipment to determine the extent of his internal injuries.”

“What can we do for him?” Erik asked, his hands clenched tightly around a blanket that he passed to Alan.

“Keep him comfortable. He will need to be monitored; his temperature in particular. And we must wait – his body will either heal and he will wake, or he will die. Humans can be fragile.” Alan explained.

Alan and Walter-1 left soon afterwards. Erik had been given clear instruction of how to look after the man and Walter-1 had announced he would be calling a council meeting to let all the inhabitants of the outpost aware of the man’s presence. It had been years since anyone at the outpost had had contact with a non-synthetic; the man’s arrival would no doubt cause quite the stir, and Erik did not mind that he would be missing the cacophony of questions Walter-1 would face from the community.

Alone with the man lying on his table, Erik sat down to watch him. He watched the rise and fall of his chest, he observed the flush to his cheeks and the restless movements of his fingers as they twitched on the table. The man’s cheeks flushed as time went on and his movements became more erratic, his head moving almost rhythmically from side to side.

Erik reached forward and tentatively touched his palm to the man’s forehead and found his temperature had shot up to 40 degrees celcius. He stood immediately and came back as quickly as he could with a damp, cold cloth and a bowl of water. He pulled the blanket down to the man’s waist and started gently wiping him down.

He startled, stepping back when the man moaned deeply, turning his head toward Erik as if he was seeking contact with the cool cloth. Erik moved closer again, bringing the cloth up to the man’s face and touching his temple. The touch elicited another groan and Erik hesitantly took the cloth away and dipped in it the bowl of cool water. He brought the cloth back, hovering it over the man’s lips and squeezed.

Drops of water fell on the man’s pale pink lips and Erik watched in fascination as the man’s eyelids fluttered. Slits of brilliant blue appeared and a rich red tongue slipped out to lick those damp lips. Erik felt a shock of electric charge race up his spine at the sight.

Fragile. Delicate. 

That was what humans were. Alan had said so, and all of Erik’s research and limited experience suggested the same. But this man, physically weak as he may be, was fighting. He was clinging to life, he was clawing his way toward Erik and the water with the last bit of strength he had.

Such as intriguing contradiction. Fragile, yet determined. Delicate, yet stubborn.

Were all humans like this? Or was this man unique?

After a few more passes with the cool cloth, the man settled again. The twitches subsided and his breathing evened out. Erik watched him a few minutes longer; the man was asleep, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

Erik sat back in his chair and noted the time on his internal clock; it had been 5 hours 43 minutes since he had taken the man out of the escape pod. Erik wondered how long it would be before the man woke up. Or he died.

* * *

The first thing he was truly aware of was the silence. 

Earlier, he’d had flashes: cool water, bright lights, a sense of movement, but nothing concrete. The silence, however, the silence seeped into him, crawling up his spine with uneasiness. 

Shaw’s flagship was never silent. Someone was always awake, the ship’s engines were always humming, and even in the dead of night the ship’s intercom system would make announcements to crew and passengers.

After spending several minutes lying still, trying his best to listen for any noise, any sound, Charles finally opened his eyes, tentatively, almost afraid of what him might find. What he found was a room, spartan and neat, clean and orderly. The room appeared normal, filled with ordinary items, like chairs, shelves, and cupboards. On the far side of the room fabric was draped, perhaps covering the entrance to a bedroom, or a hall. Not far from him, to his right was a fireplace, the embers emitting an orange glow.

It was all quite peaceful, or at least it likely would have been to another man. Charles could not find peace in the place. He had noticed, before he’d open his eyes, that he no longer wore his suppressant collar, which should have been a blessing. Except this place was silent, not only of typical noises, but of type of noises that Charles’ was particularly attuned to – minds. There were no thoughts in this place and it sent shivers down Charles’ spine.

A sudden movement across the room, a man moving the draped fabric and stepping through into the space with Charles, startled him and Charles blinked and blinked again. He could see the man before him; an impossibly handsome man by any standard. Charles watched him move, he observed his stoic face, he took in the efficient movements that brought the man to his side. The silence remained.

Charles propped himself up on his arms and stared up at the man, now positioned directly beside him. He had blue eyes; a kind of changeable, grayish blue like a misty morning sky. No matter how hard he tried, Charles could feel nothing; not the warmth of another’s emotions, not the chaos of muddled thoughts, nothing.

“Are you real?” Charles asked, his voice soft and scratchy.

The man’s head cocked to the side, as if considering Charles’ words. “I exist. I am real.” He said, his voice low and gravelly. “My name is Erik.”

“Where am I, Erik?”

“You are in my home.”

“I was on a ship...” Charles began, his head already spinning.

“You should lie down.” Erik instructed, placing his hands gently under Charles’ head and easing him back onto his back. “Your ship crashed. I found the wreckage. You were the only survivor.”

“And you brought me here?”

“I did.”

“Thank you.” Charles whispered, his eyes feeling heavy. “Thank you, Erik.”

“You are welcome.” Erik replied, studying him closely. “What should I call you?”

“Charles. My name is Charles.”

“Charles.” Erik repeated, stretching his mouth around the word as if he had never heard it before.

“I can’t feel you.” Charles muttered, struggling to keep his eyes open and his thoughts coherent. “How do I know you’re real? I feel I’ll wake up again and no one will be here… it will be nothing but the silence.”

“I am real.” Charles opened his eyes in shock as he felt a hand grip his – Erik’s hand, real and solid. “I will be here when you wake.”

“Promise?” Charles asked, his eyelids heavy and only half-conscious.

“I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going on vacation next week and will likely not be doing any writing. It will likely be a bit before I can update this, or any of my other fics.
> 
> Thank you for your understanding and thank you so much for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Erik held a finger up to his lips as Walter entered his home, sneaking a glance over at Charles, relieved to find him still sleeping. Walter sat across from him, barely making a sound.

“How did the colony react?” Erik asked.

“Curiosity.” Walter answered immediately. “It has been some time since anything unexpected has happened here. Everyone was in agreement that you helping the man, finding him medical care, was the appropriate action. It was difficult to keep them from coming here.”

“They want to see him.” Erik said flatly.

“Yes.” Walter nodded. “Can you blame them?”

“No.” Erik could understand their curiosity, he felt it too. “But Charles needs his rest. He must recover before he is bombarded with new faces.”

“Charles? You know his name.” Walter noted.

“We spoke.” Erik explained. “He was conscious for a few minutes and was able to tell me his name.”

“You have remained by his side.” 

“Yes. He was disoriented when he woke and displayed a great deal of anxiety. Physical touch was soothing for him. I have remained close. I believe my presence will be a comfort to him when he wakes.”

“Your dedication to his well being is admirable.”

Erik inclined his head and felt sense of satisfaction.

“You will not always be able to protect him, Erik.” Walter warned. “Alan was correct: humans are fragile. They are also unpredictable and at times completely illogical. You must prepare yourself. He is not an android, or a toy you can control.”

Erik frowned. He did not want to control Charles, though he did want to see him well and healthy. But he knew Walter’s caution came from experience; of all the Walter models in the colony he had had the most contact with humans, aside from the two female pleasure models that lived some distance away and traded with them regularly. And to be fair the pleasure models had a very specific type experience with humans.

Erik took a moment to wonder if Charles would want to use the services of a pleasure model and felt his frown deepening.

“My role is to serve him, is it not?” Erik questioned, looking at Walter.

“No, Erik. Here we are free. We are no longer beholden to humans, though we owe them our existence. Your role is to do what you wish, what makes you content, and as long as you stay here, what helps this community. When this man wakes, he will have that same freedom.”

“This life… it is not what we were meant to be.”

“It is what we could be. We have always had this potential.” Walter holds his gaze. “We are not less than them. We do not serve.”

“We do not serve.” Erik repeated.

As he watched Walter leave, Erik wondered, and not for the first time, who they were without a mission, without a person or crew to serve. They had been alone in this colony for years now, but were they living, or merely surviving?

Perhaps Charles would help answer his questions. It could be that the injection of a stranger, an outsider, was exactly what they all needed to discover who they could really be.

* * *

This time when Charles woke the horrid silence and lack of connection almost brought him to tears. He forced himself to open his eyes, to trust that what he was seeing was real and true. 

Erik was across the room, quickly and efficiently chopping what appeared to be some sort of root vegetable. Charles could smell broth simmering and watched as Erik worked, his movements so precise and controlled, almost mechanical.

“Oh!” Charles exclaimed, his thoughts coalescing and the true nature of his rescuer suddenly becoming all too clear.

Erik turned and approached, his stride a picture of elegant perfection.

“How are you feeling?” 

Charles blinked rapidly. He knew he was staring at Erik, the perfectly sculpted lines of his face, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. It was hard to even imagine that the man in front of him was what he was.

“You’re not human.” Charles finally said, his mind awhirl.

Was Erik an enhanced human? An alien species who could mimic humans? He looked so… real.

“I am an android.” Erik replied simply.

Charles gaped, he couldn’t stop himself. An android… how was that even possible. Androids had been banned, years ago, before Charles had even been born. All existing android models had been dismantled and destroyed. Erik simply shouldn’t exist.

“I… thank you for being honest with me, my friend.” Charles stammered out. “I must be completely honest with you as well. I am not quite human either.”

Erik tilted his head and Charles could feel himself being studied, catalogued and he wondered what was going on inside Erik’s mind, or his circuitry.

“You are not human?” Erik finally said, questioning Charles’ statement.  
“I am a mutant. I am human, and yet… not.” Charles shrugged.

“A mutant.” Erik considered the word carefully. 

“Will that be a problem? Here, in your community?” Charles asked hesitantly.

“If you abide by the community rules, there will be no issue. The community is eager to meet you, when you are well enough to move.”

“You are all androids? The whole community?”

“Yes.”

Charles sat back and pondered. Erik’s answer explained so much. The silence from his telepathy, most especially. There were people here, of a sort, but their were no minds that could call out to him.

“I look forward to meeting everyone. And thanking everyone who has helped me. I’m sure I would have perished without your assistance.”

“That is possible.” Erik stated, his voice even. “Perhaps your mutation protected you.”

“That is unlikely. My mutation is not particularly physically beneficial.” Charles admitted. “I have no extraordinary strength, nor control of objects or matter; I am a telepath.”

Erik was quiet in his contemplation and Charles was struck again at his lack of telepathy. He had no idea what Erik was thinking, he was even more difficult to read than a typical human, his face so limited in its expression.

“You are finding it difficult. Being here.” 

Charles frowned and shook his head immediately. “No, no, of course not! You have been most hospitable. And as I’ve said, I am very grateful to have been rescued -”

“The silence.” Erik interjected. “You find the silence difficult. You said so when you woke.”

“Yes, yes that’s… true.” Charles conceded guiltily. “I have never… my mind has never been so quiet. All my life, my telepathy has been an anchor to the world, to reality. Without it… I find myself like a feather adrift on the wind.”

“I will try to anchor you.” Erik said decisively. 

Charles felt his face heat. There was an intimacy to Erik’s words that he was almost certain was unintended, but it stirred something in him nonetheless.

“Thank you, Erik. You are very kind.” Charles smiled softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me a while to update this one... I will likely continue to update slowly, bit know I have not forgotten about this fic at all.


End file.
